Various topics
I used to use bags and they work ok - you just need to watch out for pricker bushes in your sugarbush. I have a lot of barberry and multiflora rose - I don't like hauling sap, so I went to tubing and vacuum. If you want to try some bags, I am happy to give you a bunch i never used, along with some holders that I made for them. Just taking up space here.
Decent runs yesterday and today, 120 gallons and 100 respectively. Crap weather to be standing out in the driveway cooking today, but at least it wasn't cold.
My trees tend to run about 1% sugar, so it takes around 80 gallons to make a gallon of syrup. Lots of work!!
Cheers!
John
All red maples:
2013/4 - A few taps and propane burner
2015 - 54 taps on bags and buckets, 2x3 Mason evaporator - 3.5 gallons syrup finished and bottled
2016 - 72 taps on home-built vacuum/mainline system, home built RO (2 - 2.5 x 21 membranes) - 9+ gallons syrup finished and bottled
2017 - 91 taps upgrade to RO (single 4 x 40 membrane) - 13 gallons syrup
2018 - 91 taps - 12 gallons syrup
2022 - Back after 3 years off, 106 taps on vacuum - 29+ gallons syrup